Below The Heavens is a TSS-favored album of the highest order. It has become the yardstick by which fans and followers measure all other Blu projects. But much more is written and known about the project’s emcee than its beat maker.

Exile is one of the most artistically minded folks I’ve ever met, living in a house lined with touches of abstract art he’s constructed. He thinks and talks about the music he creates with similar rhythm to that of any painter or sculptor and clearly sees his sound in visuals. If you’ve ever had the chance to see Exile’s live MPC performance you’d be easily convinced of the physicality of his music.

With a new instrumental project, Radio — derived entirely from the media of its namesake — Exile takes the listener on an air wave journey through AM and FM, darkness and light, evil and good. Here’s a brief look into the inspirations of an artist whose music pays meticulous attention to sounds that create visuals.

Biz Markie – Goin Off

“The first thing I heard off this album was ‘Pickin’ Boogers.’ I guess I had to be about 13, hearing about ‘Big Daddy Kane eating boogers out his spaghetti.’ And I guess Big Daddy Kane actually wrote ‘Pickin’ Boogers…’ This is just like, a kid being able to be a kid — and a big fat kid with really funky beats who can be as goofy as he wants to be, with incredible swagger. Talking about picking his boogers and talking about shopping at the mall, I mean, as a kid this was just the greatest thing. He could beatbox too, and he had songs about his DJ. To me he was the first Madlib — he’s able to have a sloppy rap style and funky beats. This is the original Madlib to me. I just always related to Biz, being a big dude myself, being a big kid.”

2 Live Crew – Is What We Are

“This is the first time I really got interested in scratching. Every 2 Live Crew [album] has a mega mix — Mr. Mixx On The Mix — and that just really got me into scratching, trying to figure out how he did what he did. I think this is the first time I was really looking at a DJ as an artist.

“I beatboxed first and then I scratched off of one of those Sanyo stereo systems where is has the tape deck, and then the radio, and then the turntable up top. And I would hold the tape and the phono button down and scratch. I first started scratching on a Star Wars record — I remember I crank called this girl I liked and I was scratching some Darth Vader or some shit. [Laughs] After that, I really honed my scratch with the speaker button — like Speaker A, Speaker B.

“And the bass on this record, the bass from kids’ cars would be booming and I wouldn’t know how they got it to do that. This was one of those records where I realized that it was coming from the 808s. And then a song about ‘Hey, we want some pussy,’ I mean, as a kid that’s just the greatest thing.”

Ice Cube – Death Certificate

“One of the greatest West Coast records of all time, along with Pharcyde’s Bizarre Ride, and Freestyle Fellowship Innercity Griots. I think this might be one of the first full albums that is conscious gangster rap and it’s just amazing, post South Central riots. Man, it’s just an amazing record. It’s political, it’s West Coast, it’s got King Tee on there and Kam; who are two other West Coast legends who deserve their own piece to be spoken about. It’s Public Enemy meets the West Coast, but the beats on here Sir Jinx and there’s just a real West Coast stomp-type presence, like Funk.

“It made me feel scared as a White person. And that’s what I liked about Hip-Hop, I mean this type of Hip-Hop. Like not just scared, but it made me feel hard too. It made me real interested. It was just crazy man, it was different. Like I was in some kind of gangster shit when I was young — my first rap group was with some Bloods… we were called Creme De La Family, in junior high — and that was right around the time of the riots. And I couldn’t go to the riots, so I lived it through this record. Through Death Certificate.”

LL Cool J – B.igger A.nd D.effer

“My first Hip-Hop record I ever got, at Christmas, was LL Cool J Radio, but I picked this one mainly because I used to perform ‘I Need Love’ for my mom and my sister. I would lipsync the whole thing — I’ve done it in the mirror before. LL Cool J was just bad, like, he was Bad, he was a womanizer, he was really confident, he had dope stories, you know? He was a great story rapper! No one gives LL Cool J credit for being a story rapper, but he had some dope stories! ‘Big Ole Butt,’ ‘Bristol Hotel,’ ‘Candy?!’ ‘Candy’ is ridiculous. The drums on ‘Candy?!’ This is just, man, this record was a huge influence on me. One of my all-time favorites. LL Cool J.”

Slum Village – Fantastic Vol. 2

“If I had Freestyle Fellowship Innercity Griots, it would be with this record. And I compare those two because I think those two records — they’re like the kings of style. Slum Village and Freestyle Fellowship, they’re at the two polar opposites, but where they push their styles is just amazing. Freestyle Fellowship is rapping all fast and cats just took it the whole other direction with patterns and rhyme patterns and the beats.

“When I first heard this record I didn’t really get it at first, like, I thought it was cool, I thought it was a little lazy — it just sounded like they were freestyling or something and that’s what I thought at first. I didn’t get it. But the more I listened to it the more I realized their patterns are really complex and they’re doing something that nobody’s ever done before. To me this is like taking The Pharcyde and Tribe — what that feeling was — and completely taking it into their own thing with this record. Of course the production is incredible and groundbreaking, but I have to give it up to the emcees too on this, style-wise. And of course Dilla has been a huge influence on me, and every other Hip-Hop producer.”

Join The Discussion

i had the pleasure of witnessing Exile write his name in graffiti on the small of this white girl’s back…while her boyfriend was watching.

imagine…

everytime that dude hit it from the back, he had to look at Exile’s name tagged right above her ass

12.09.08 at 9:51 pm

Teef Jizzed His Pants When Pac Man beat Oscar The Slouch

“a song about ‘Hey, we want some pussy,’ I mean, as a kid that’s just the greatest thing.”

^ I loved hip-hop when it was taboo

12.09.08 at 9:53 pm

Teef Jizzed His Pants When Pac Man beat Oscar The Slouch

“It made me feel scared as a White person.”

^ lol

hip-hop doesn’t make anyone feel scared nowadays. one of the many reasons why it sucks

12.09.08 at 9:58 pm

Black Canseco

flossin’ the Exile tramp stamp… yes!

I love me some white girls with tramp stamps! he-he-he…

sistahs don’t do the “hey celeb sign my ass” thing as much from what i’ve seen. They might bone one, but the writing thing doesn’t always mesh with the dark skin…

wow did i digress there, huh? eff it, i ain’t got no shot with LC anyway…

sorry, just picturing some random dude thinking “he’s not even that famous yet… wtf she gonna do when i take her to the Jay-Z show next month?!”

i seen some wild ish but ain’t never seen a chick go “would you mind degrading both me and my man at the same time by taggin’ up my backside infront of witnesses?”

12.09.08 at 10:01 pm

Black Canseco

As for hiphop scaring people… you wanna get your shook ones on, i’ll post some Cross Movement and some other christian hiphop. that’s some scary ish–hard rhyming zealots with dope beats…
you’ll be knockin’ it hard but once you hear the words, you’re gonna wanna take a shower and go find a confessional booth.

12.09.08 at 10:03 pm

Teef Jizzed His Pants When Pac Man beat Oscar The Slouch

would it scare the bejeezus out of me..or in me? lol

12.09.08 at 10:03 pm

Black Canseco

the only way hiphop can scare folks now is if dudes actually stop cursing and start divesting in mainstream placement… basically, tune-in and dropout.

12.09.08 at 10:09 pm

Teef Jizzed His Pants When Pac Man beat Oscar The Slouch

“the only way hiphop can scare folks now is if dudes actually stop cursing and start divesting in mainstream placement”

^

3 things must happen before that can take place:

1) Charles Hamilton starts wearing his t-shirts UNDERNEATH his dress shirts tucked in and the right size

2) Soulja Boy gives Ice-T a Father’s Day card and beats Elzhi in a cypher

it’ll scare the bejezus into you… and soulja beatin’ elz in a cypher. lol… i think LC would go illiterate first.

12.09.08 at 11:07 pm

500K Flea

Exile is dope!!! I like that “Dirty Science” album that he put out a little while back.

ps: Tramp stamps???!!! Jizzed…on…her…back!!! lol!!!

12.09.08 at 11:08 pm

AmpGeez a.k.a. Eazy

“No Greater Love” is one of my favorite beats from the last couple years. That track along with the “Pearly Gates” instrumental never leave the iPod.

12.09.08 at 11:09 pm

El Rosado "I got that Senate seat from Illinois for sale for the low-low"

Black Canseco, you really would love being in Chi right now (wack weather aside) just for the channel 5 news at 10 coverage of the Roddy Roddy B scandal. “A lone protester outside of his crib”

Warner Saunders Uncle Phil lookin ass is OUTRAGED ahaha.

Oh yeah, Soulja Boy beating Elzhi in a cipher, only if Detroit Lions win a game this season…

12.09.08 at 11:17 pm

O.E.D.

Lions over the Packers…..book it.

12.09.08 at 11:20 pm

O.E.D.

Co-sigs on No Greater Love…

The instrumental is ridiculous

12.09.08 at 11:23 pm

Docjh

Does anyone have the link for the new Anthony Hamilton?

12.09.08 at 11:30 pm

Black Canseco

i wanna hear some Exile now that all y’all hypin’ dude up… who got linx (he sloppily asks as dude’s checkin’ comments for bootleggers…)

HotRod Blago, baby! Hustlin’ backwards like a moonwalk.

I hereby nominate 1-900-Hustler as Rod Blagoevich’s theme song.

12.09.08 at 11:33 pm

Black Canseco

i met warner saunders… he was cool. used to see him in the NBC commisary in the lower lobby all the time–i worked in that building a lot… he was cool. he didn’t wear it on set, but he always wore his earings off-air. all the whitefolks would gawk at the tall black dude in the suit with the silver hoops and studs.

“that’s not michael jordan is it?”–i swear people would say that when he walked by.

dude was too smooth. white chicks in marketing and media loved him. i think they all thought he was a pimp or something on the lo.

but like Ed Bradley being gay, there were always rumors about Warner. Warner and Ed come to think of it….

12.09.08 at 11:37 pm

sherm

@ canseco – u get that o’jays link i put up for u last night?

on another note – anybody holdin any Prince greatest hits compilations? if you could up one i’d greatly appreciate it

12.09.08 at 11:48 pm

sherm

@ BC – yeah that philly soul ain’t no joke…thats my neck o’ the wudz…good look on that live prince but if you could up a greatest hits joint for me tomorrow i’d be mad appreciative…need some joints to vibe with my girl

12.09.08 at 11:51 pm

Teef Jizzed His Pants When Pac Man beat Oscar The Slouch

don’t sleep on that Grease soundtrack in the first post – shit is hot fiyah

good lookin out BC – i used to have just about every prince album but somehow i lost pretty much all of em…and the wifey loves her some prince…shit, i can’t lie, your boy loves some prince too (pause)

12.10.08 at 12:27 am

Black Canseco

Sherm,

it’s all love… Prince is dope on so many levels. even “crazy freaky girlly-boi” Prince circa Controversy was puttin’ it down and puttin’ down hard.

it’s amazing but you’re hard-pressed to name a “garbage” prince album… (maybe crystal ball kinda sucked but that’s like a 1 out of 10 average?)

i ain’t puttin’ on the purple butt-free chaps and farah fawcett ‘do, but Mr. Nelson is consistently money in my book.

12.10.08 at 12:44 am

Gotty™

“No Greater Love” = maybe one of the best beats from the past few years. The first time I heard, I was stuck on that song for 3 hrs straight. I started emailing folks, making calls lol. I listened to it @ least once a day for a week or two straight. Still bang the shit on long drives, just like listening & dissecting the song apart.

12.10.08 at 12:58 am

sherm

Common’s on Jimmy Kimmel performin “UMC” right now

12.10.08 at 1:05 am

Black Canseco

i wonder if Common is gonna be on Fallon’s new show exclusively now that his fam is the new house band…

12.10.08 at 1:06 am

sherm

?uestlove thinks Jim Jones is gonna be the next Jay-Z:

12.10.08 at 1:10 am

Black Canseco

?uest is on drugs… if he thinks JJ is gonna be anything more than what he is. dude’s not that smart. he’s not a total fool, but c’mon y’all.

12.10.08 at 1:13 am

sherm

it’s funny that you say that, in the video he misspeaks and actually makes a comment about doin too many drugs or something…i agree, jones has his little lane and he eats off it, but he ain’t gettin ready to be the next big thing in any way, shape or form…besides, if ?uest knew what sold records the roots would be…well i ain’t tryin to be ignorant

12.10.08 at 1:23 am

THEKID

Completely Off-Topic: I just got back from the Cool Kids show in Gainesville…COT DAMN. I need to take a hot shower to cool off. Best show I’ve ever worked my way in to for free.

12.10.08 at 1:29 am

Black Canseco

the roots can’t sell… i luv ‘em, but they’re the grateful dead of hiphop if they want it. their live shows will always be better than their albums… they got some classic material tho. but beyond the payola they thru trying to push “things fall apart” (like 750K to hit every major market), they just don’t sell. radio is very anti-black band (black musicians don’t sell on urban/pop radio.

12.10.08 at 3:16 am

AC

fuck having 2 term papers due tomorrow

12.10.08 at 3:25 am

cody

exile you hard!

12.10.08 at 11:18 am

El Rosado "Look at the bright side Rod B, even though you've been indicited you still get to spend your bday as a free man"